Roommates
by Anna Berry
Summary: Alice and Bella are housemates in an apartment owned by Carlisle and Esme. When Edward returns from studying abroad/travelling, he comes to live with them too. The chemistry between Edward and Bella is undeniable but with models, self-doubt, guilt, tension and a butt-load of awkward moments, their path to happiness won't be a smooth one. All our favourite characters and all human.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

 **OK… I gave fanfiction writing a shot a while ago. It was a Vampire Diaries fic and I loved it but I lost my way. I recently came upon some inspiration though and I have (for the most part) planned this fic out already. The point is, I'm new to this so please be nice and leave reviews so I know if it's any good. I need some encouragement here, guys! Please and thank you** **J**

 **Of course, I don't own Twilight. I'm just playing with the characters a bit…**

 **Chapter 1:**

"Yes, I'm home safe. Thanks for checking on me, Bells." Charlie responded from the other end of the line.

"Sorry, Dad." Bella laughed a little and sat up on her bed before becoming serious again. "I just worry about you sometimes. Especially if Sue isn't around. I'm sorry you had to miss out on that fishing trip."

"Are you kidding, Bella? I was more than happy to give that up to be able to come to your graduation! Four years of college and you think I was going to miss out on that celebration?" Charlie had just returned to Forks after staying with Bella and Alice for two nights at their apartment in Seattle. He had driven from Forks to Seattle the day before their graduation ceremony and stayed until the day after so that he could spend some more time with them. While he struggled with expressing his emotions – a trait Bella inherited from him – Charlie Swan loved spending time with his daughter and her best friend, Alice Cullen. Surprisingly, as he was a fairly reserved man, he also got along famously with Alice's parents, Carlisle and Esme Cullen.

Then again, didn't everyone get along with Carlisle and Esme? They were the epitome of perfection – the perfect couple, the perfect parents and the perfect friends – not to mention they were the nicest and most modest people in existence. They were also the perfect hosts, as they proved when they organised a graduation dinner party at their home so that everyone could celebrate with Alice and Bella.

"Carlisle and Esme were glad you could come to their dinner party too. They asked me to thank you again." Bella commented.

"Oh, they're great and that dinner was great. Esme's one hell of a chef. Speaking of Carlisle and Esme, that apartment of theirs is amazing. I can't believe they're letting you girls rent it out. I was blown away when you showed me the place."

"Believe me, I know." Bella sighed, throwing her legs off the side of the bed and wandering over to the window. She still felt a little uncomfortable living in such a lavish apartment. "I felt exactly the same way when Alice showed me the place for the first time but she tells me I just have to get used to it. Apparently she expects us to live together for the foreseeable future and this is totally normal for her…" Bella trailed off, glancing at her closed bedroom door. She could hear noise from the other side which meant Alice was still on the phone but she had migrated from her bedroom to the main living area. That was the Bella/Alice unofficial code for: I need you out here for help with this conversation as soon as possible.

"Well, I'm glad you've still got your feet on the ground and it's comforting to know that Carlisle and Esme aren't far away." Charlie replied. "Have you spoken to your mother yet? I'm sure she'll call soon enough if you don't call her."

Bella laughed. "You're right. I called her about an hour ago and Phil said she was finally sleeping but only because he'd confiscated her phone. Apparently she's been wanting to call me all day but Phil told her to wait and that she had to rest before he'd let her call me." She sighed, thinking about the days when she had been the one looking after her mother. "I know it's just gastro but I'm glad Phil's there to look after her."

"Me too, Bells. The timing just sucks, huh?"

"Yeah," Bella sighed again, disappointed this time. She loved her mother and wanted her to be well but it would have been nice to have both of her parents at her college graduation ceremony.

Charlie sighed on the other end of the line. "I'm sorry she couldn't come but I'll send her all the photos I took and, believe me, there are so many that she'll feel like she was there." He laughed, making Bella laugh too.

 _Knock knock knock_

 _Oops_ , she thought, _I neglected the code_. "Dad, I have to go. I'm being summoned" Bella joked as she walked towards her bedroom door.

Knowing perfectly well how persistent Alice could be, Charlie chuckled. "OK. Love you, Bells. Give Alice my best."

"I will. Love you too, Dad." Bella said before hanging up, pocketing her phone and opening the door.

Alice was sitting on the couch, still chatting away on the phone but the excited expression on her face was unnerving. Seeing Bella emerge, Alice patted the couch cushion next to her, continuing the conversation with the person on the other end of the line. Plopping down on the couch, Bella quickly realised that the person Alice was talking to was, in fact, two people. Both Esme and Carlisle were talking to Alice and they had already shared some seemingly exciting news with her but they wanted to speak with Bella about it too.

"Here, I'll put you on loudspeaker so you can talk to both of us." As Alice took the phone away from her ear, tapped the speaker button and placed it on the table, she was practically bouncing with excitement. She looked at Bella with a smile plastered across her face as Bella greeted Carlisle and Esme, asking to hear the exciting the news.

"Now, Bella, we have a question for you." Esme said, her voice kind, as always.

"Please don't feel obliged to agree." Carlisle chimed in. _Well, that's a good start. This sounds daunting_ , Bella thought. "There are alternatives. It's just an idea and I'm sure there are other options –"

"Yes, but this is the best one!" Alice piped up in her excitement, barely containing a squeal.

"Alice, please don't make Bella feel pressured into agreeing to this." Esme chided her daughter. _Too late for that_ , Bella thought but she playfully slapped her friend's knee anyway, grinning at her. "Sorry, Bella. We'll get to the point." Esme continued and Bella could practically see her looking at Carlisle as if to say "your turn."

"Bella," Carlisle began, "Edward is coming home from England in a few days and, not realising the two of you are now living in the apartment, he's asked if he might be able to rent it from us. He expressed his desire to be away from home as he'd like to be more central to the city. He spoke to Emmett already but living with him won't work – there's just not enough room. He understands that he won't be able to afford the cost of this apartment himself. He would have to find roommates –"

"Us!" Alice shouted, some of her excitement bursting from her mouth.

"Alice." Carlisle and Esme groaned in unison but Bella simply placed her hand over Alice's mouth, effectively shutting her up. To her credit, Alice accepted her fate without a fight.

"Sorry, guys, I've silenced the squealer." Bella said. "Now, just to be sure. Are you asking me if I would be happy for your son – my best friend's brother – to come and live with us?"

"Well, yes, in a nutshell, that's it. We told him you two are living there and that he would be welcome to as well, as long as you are both happy with that." Esme said, sounding nervous.

Bella almost burst out laughing at their kindness. If anything, if she wasn't ok with it, she'd have expected to be kicked out so their son could move in but no, they were willing to say "no" to their son to allow for her comfort. What an extraordinary family. Yes, they could afford to find him another apartment but this was the best option for everyone and Bella was the only obstacle. If she was being completely honest with herself, she might not have been ok with it but she didn't give herself time to overthink it. _Worst case scenario_ , she thought, _I'll spend all of my time in my bedroom and only emerge when going to work and eating meals_.

"Wow. You guys had me really nervous for a minute there. I thought it was going to be something huge. Of course I'm fine with that." Bella almost sighed with relief, dropping her hand from Alice's mouth as a gesture of good faith. Alice squeaked a little but, after a look from Bella, just started doing a silent happy dance in her seat.

"Bella, are you sure?" Esme asked. "He's a good boy but you've never met him before… We don't want you to feel uncomfortable."

"Esme, really, it's fine. If he's anything like the rest of your family, I'm sure we'll get along just fine." Bella replied, smiling at her best friend who was now standing, doing a twist-style dance. Apparently that was the only way she knew how to express her excitement while remaining quiet.

Bella smiled to herself when she heard a relieved sigh escape Esme's lips. "Thank you, Bella."

"No need to thank me. We have plenty of room to spare." Bella laughed.

Bella knew how happy Edward being home would make them. As if Alice's dancing wasn't indication enough, that family had a special bond. Alice was always talking about her family and, although she was close to her eldest brother, Emmett, Bella knew that they all missed Edward. He hadn't been back from overseas since Alice was in her junior year and the shock of her brother graduating from school and leaving home was a big adjustment for her. She missed him terribly for a long time. Bella didn't meet Alice until they roomed together in their first year of college but she knew all about the closeness the two had shared. It was as though they were twins rather than simply brother and sister, like they could read one another's minds and Edward taking the scholarship at Cambridge had left a gaping hole in Alice. Bella, with no siblings, could only imagine that feeling but when she did, she pictured Alice leaving and the mere thought of it broke her heart.

On the one hand, Bella didn't understand why Edward left in the first place. If it hurt Alice so much, it must have hurt him too. But, on the other hand, he would have been mad to turn down a scholarship to study medicine at Cambridge University and, as close as they were, it was probably best that the two learn to live without one another sooner rather than later.

While Bella had been lost in thought, Alice had continued a conversation with Esme. Apparently Carlisle had taken his leave and the girls, still on loudspeaker, were chatting.

"All those rooms, Mum. There are so many rooms in this place too." Alice commented. "You know, you guys should consider downsizing."

"Never!" Esme remarked, "That would mean there wouldn't be room for us to have everyone here at Christmas." Bella chuckled. That would be another benefit of them having Edward back. The whole family would be together again come Christmas. "Speaking of which, Bella, are you still there? Please know that, as always, you're welcome to join us for Christmas."

"Thanks Esme." Bella smiled at the phone. "I'm not sure of my plans yet but I'll have to figure things out soon enough. Oh! While you're there, could you have Carlisle call his plumber? The shower in my ensuite is broken. I was going to call a plumber today but I know Carlisle has a favourite."

"Of course, Bella." Carlisle responded. Apparently he hadn't strayed too far away after all.

"Thanks, Carlisle. Now, I'm going to make some dinner." Bella announced, pushing herself off the couch. "Bye, guys."

"Goodbye, Bella." Carlisle.

"Goodnight, dear." Esme.

"What's for dinner?" Alice.

"Alice!" Her parents reprimanded her but Bella laughed. _This is why she's my best friend_ , she thought.

"Lasagne" Bella said, receiving a huge grin in response. Bella's lasagne was Alice's favourite.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:**

 **Author's Note:**

 **I hope you liked the first chapter. I figured I'd post two to begin with… In order to (hopefully) get some feedback before continuing. Please review for me. I'd like to know that I'm doing something right.**

 **Of course, I don't own Twilight. I'm just playing with the characters a bit…**

While preparing dinner, Bella listened to the excited conversation Alice continued to have with her parents about the return of her brother. They were discussing the changes in rent – Carlisle and Esme were already charging them next-to-nothing considering the actual price of the property on the market – but the cost would soon be split three ways, making things even cheaper for them. It sounded like there might also be a possibility of Edward's girlfriend coming to visit in a few weeks but that was going to be discussed with Edward at a later date.

Soon enough, Bella received a text.

 _Bella, the plumber will be there tomorrow evening after 5:00pm - C_

 _Thanks again, Carlisle - B_

Bella quickly typed her response with her free hand as she sprinkled cheese over her dish before sliding it in the oven. Setting the kitchen timer, Bella wandered back out to the living area and made herself comfortable on the couch. Blocking out the conversation Alice was still having with her parents, Bella plucked her iPad off the coffee table and opened the Facebook application with the intention of scrolling through her newsfeed to pass some time. Instead, she noticed two new friend requests. The first name, she recognised immediately, Edward Cullen. _Fair enough_ , she thought as she accepted the request, _we'll be living together soon anyway_. The second, however, she had never heard of: Tanya Denali. _Who the hell is that?_ She wondered. She selected the name, opening the profile of this unknown woman. The profile was set to private so she couldn't see much other than a range of profile and cover pictures. Considering the professionalism of the photographs, it was clear that they were from modelling photoshoots. The woman was absolutely stunning. She was tall with perfect blonde hair, blue eyes and the body of a goddess. A number of the photos also included another woman who, while sharing similar features such as blonde hair, blue eyes and a gorgeous figure, had a noticeably different face. Unlike the first woman, whose facial features had a distinctly European look to them, the second was harder for Bella to define. _She might be American_ _but I can't be sure,_ Bella thought as she continued to scroll through the photos. _Good Lord! Who is this woman and why has she added me?_ Bella wondered, tapping out of the friend request tab, deciding to deal with that later since the conversation between Alice and her parents was wrapping up.

"Ok. Goodnight guys. Love you both." Alice spoke into her phone before flopping down onto the couch next to Bella. "Wow." She sighed, looking completely stunned.

"What is it? I thought you were excited about this?" Bella asked, looking at her friend with concern.

"I am. I just… It's been so long. I just… Wow, you know?" Alice stuttered and then, like the flick of a switch, a grinning Alice bounced at Bella and threw her arms around her. "Thank you for saying 'yes,' Bella. Thank you so much. I can't wait to see him again."

In that moment, hugging Alice and trying to stay upright despite the force of her impact, Bella knew she had definitely made the right decision. However, after a few moments of thinking about how emotional everyone would be on Edward's return, Bella was afraid she'd start crying so, grabbing Alice's shoulders, she pushed her back to arm's length, looked her in the eyes and summoned all the seriousness she could muster. "You pick the wine, I'll choose a movie and the lasagne will be done soon. We're having a girls' night before your brother moves in."

Alice let out an excited squeal before bouncing off the couch and running to the kitchen to select a wine.

"It's a wonder someone so small can make so much noise." Bella muttered to herself as she rolled her eyes and pushed herself off the couch, heading towards their movie collection.

As she perused the collection, her phone chimed with a text message alert from her pocket.

 _I hear you're soon to meet the OTHER CULLEN. Dum dum duuuuuum! – Em_

Emmett's text made her laugh out loud as she pulled _The Ugly Truth_ from the DVD collection and set up the television for the movie. As the kitchen timer buzzed, Bella wandered in, still chuckling to herself about Emmett's text.

"What's so funny? Or have you officially lost it?" Alice asked, giving Bella a questioning look from the other side of the room before finally pulling a bottle of red wine from the rack and moving to the kitchen island.

"Your brother. Well, I suppose I should say _brothers_." Bella replied, pulling the lasagne out of the oven.

"What?" Alice questioned. "What'd they do?"

Placing the lasagne down and dishing it up, Bella slid her phone across the island to her friend who was now pouring two very generous glasses of wine. Unfortunately, Bella's phone was travelling a little too fast and, if it wasn't for Alice's lightning fast reflexes, both of the wine glasses would have been cleaned up in the process.

"Shit," Bella cringed, "sorry."

"All good." Alice laughed. I'm used to your clumsiness. Besides, you know I never waste a drop of wine."

"It's a good thing too – I need someone to protect me from myself." Bella laughed.

"With the wine or the clumsiness?" Alice teased.

"Both." Bella responded as both girls laughed.

Reading the text, Alice rolled her eyes. "What a drama queen… Good Lord! And they say I'm the dramatic one." She quickly tapped out a response and returned the phone to the countertop, plugging it in to charge.

 _You're a dweeb – A_

"OK. We're all dished up. You take the wine – I've already shown I can't be trusted with it – and I'll take these." Bella said, picking up the plates full of lasagne and leading the way back to the living room couch. "I'm getting kind of nervous about meeting him now, you know."

"Who? Edward?" Alice asked, placing the glasses down on coasters and accepting her plate from a nodding Bella. "Why?"

"I'm not really sure. Maybe it's that message from Emmett –" Bella considered, taking a mouthful of her food.

"Ignore Emmett. You know he was just playing. He's a dork." Alice replied, making them both laugh.

"It's not just that though." Bella said between bites. "I don't know. I love everyone in your family so much. What if Edward and I don't get along?"

Alice finished chewing, swallowed her mouthful and looked at her friend in disbelief. "Are you kidding, Bella? You get along with everyone! I've never met a more agreeable person in my life. You're so careful not to offend that you would swallow your opinions just to keep everyone happy."

"Is that a bad thing?" Bella asked.

"It could be," replied Alice, "if it ever makes you unhappy…" Alice trailed off thoughtfully as she took another bite of lasagne.

At that moment, Bella's phone chimed with another text alert. "Damn. I left it in the kitchen." Bella muttered before hopping up and fetching it from the kitchen counter.

 _Hanging out with Quil and Embry tonight for a movie night. You should join : ) – Jake_

"Who is it?" Alice called as Bella came walking back to the couch.

"It's just Jacob. He wants me to join him for a movie night with the guys." In the past, Bella had been more than happy to hang out with Jacob and "the guys" – a number of whom worked at the gym with Emmett – but lately Bella was feeling a little uncomfortable around Jacob. She'd had a hunch for a while that, despite growing up with Bella and seeing her at her most awkward, geeky times – Jacob wanted more than friendship from her.

"Urgh! Tell him to go away!" Groaned Alice as she polished off her last bite of lasagne. "We're having a girls' night! No more talking about guys! Now, I'm going to get another piece of this deliciousness and you're going to hit play so we can focus on the important stuff: wine and chick flicks!" Alice laughed at her own joke before heading into the kitchen with her plate.

Bella, chuckling despite herself, hit play on the remote and sent a quick reply to Jacob.

 _Sorry Jake. Already having a girls' night with Alice. The wine is open and the movie has started : ) – B_

"Damn, Bella." Alice said, coming back into the room with another plateful of lasagne, already shovelling it into her mouth. "You're going to make someone very happy one day with this cooking. You're amazing." She plonked herself back down on the couch. "Oh! One last boy thing! Mum and Dad said Edward's flight comes in at 8:00 tomorrow and they've arranged a cab from the airport for him. So… I guess he'll be here late tomorrow night." Alice smiled happily.

"OK," Bella said, smiling back at her friend, "I'm looking forward to meeting him." _I think_ , she added to herself, still unsure of why she felt so uneasy about his arrival.

As the film played and the male and female leads discussed the most attractive ways for a woman to wear her hair, it reminded Bella of the random model who added her on Facebook.

"Oh, Alice! I need to show you something." Bella said, reaching for her iPad again. Alice gave her a look, warning her against bringing guys into the conversation again. "It's OK, it's all girl stuff." Bella said, opening Facebook and the friend request tab again. "Here, look." She continued, passing the device to Alice.

"Tanya Denali…?" Alice gave Bella a questioning look as she perused the same photos Bella had looked at earlier. "Who is she?"

"I don't know." Bella shrugged, picking up the plates and taking them into the kitchen with Alice, iPad glued to her hand, trailing not so far behind. "The request just came through tonight." Bella explained.

"Really?" Alice said thoughtfully, still scrolling through the photos.

"Yep." Bella replied as she loaded up the dishwasher before moving to lean against the counter, watching her friend's confusion.

This was exactly the reaction she expected from Alice. While her own reaction had been thoroughly overwhelmed, intimidated and confused as to why a woman such as that would seek her out, Alice, the always confident Alice, was just trying to solve the mystery of who, in fact, the woman was. She was never intimidated by anything. _Who could blame her_? Bella thought, _she's tiny but she's stunning. With her dark hair and blue eyes, she has the confidence to go along with the gorgeous appearance_. Bella, while happy enough with her appearance, had resigned herself a long time ago to being nothing more than average. Where Alice was naturally slim and petite, Bella, though she knew she wasn't overweight, constantly cursed her curves and went to the gym frequently to try to rid herself of them. She regularly wore loose clothing in an effort to conceal her shape – a crime Alice, the future fashion designer, was frequently trying to rectify – and she _always_ wore makeup. Not a huge amount of makeup, just enough to conceal the pale complexion she despised so much. Along with these things, her thick mane of brown hair never seemed to cooperate with her but, if Alice had her way, she would style Bella's hair every day for her.

"Such is my envy," Alice would say, "You're lucky I love you so much or I might cut it off. Sure, I've made the most of what I've got" – with her thin, black hair, Alice had decided a pixie cut would work best – "but women would kill for your hair." Bella never believed it. _If women want this hair, they're sorely mistaken_ , she told herself as she brushed her hair each morning, _it's a total pain in the arse_. The only thing Bella had going for her, as far as she was concerned, was her bust size. Her breasts weren't excessively large but they were perky and generous for someone of her size. Alice definitely agreed on this point. In fact, it was one of her strongest arguments in relation to Bella's clothing. "Come on, show off the girls, you know you love them!" This argument always made Bella laugh, if only out of embarrassment.

"Oh!" Alice exclaimed, making Bella jump, effectively bringing her back to the here-and-now. "Of course. Why didn't I realise sooner? She must be Edward's girlfriend." She handed the iPad back to Bella with a proud smile on her face – she had solved the mystery – and wandered back to the living area, plopping herself back down on the couch.

"Seriously?" Bella asked, trailing behind her friend and gaping at the photos again, " _That_ is Edward's girlfriend?"

Alice glanced at her friend with a slightly confused expression on her face. "Well, yeah, I think so." She replied. "I mean, with final assignments, exams and graduation, I haven't had a chance to talk to him much in the last couple of months but he's your only mutual friend, we know he has a girlfriend and Mum and Dad mentioned that she's a model… It makes sense… Why are you looking at me like that?" Alice questioned.

"I don't know. I'm just surprised, I think." Bella replied, lost in an astonished daze. "She just seems so… I don't know… So… Heidi Klum?"

"She is beautiful, isn't she?" Alice laughed, agreeing. "And, though I haven't seen him in six years, I'd like to think he wouldn't be dating her unless she has a personality to match. I guess we'll find out soon enough." Alice shrugged, turning back to the film.

 _Wow_ , Bella thought as she relaxed back into the couch, turning her attention back to the movie. _Just… Wow_.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:**

 **I got my first review! Thank you (you know who you are). I hope you all like it so far. I'm sorry the chapters are short – each of them are around the 2000 word mark and that seems to be all I'm able to write well… Well, as well as I can write… Haha. This one is actually a little longer than the others so I hope it's OK.**

 **Oh and I know people don't actually write their names at the end of texts in the real world but I picked it up from a few other stories and it seems to work for me.**

 **IMPORTANT: There is mention of Bella losing her virginity in this chapter. I work with high school students regularly and, while I know some of them are probably sexually active, I find the thought disturbing. So, please know that I DO NOT condone the age at which Bella lost her virginity. Having said that, I do not, in any way, judge her for it either.**

 **Please show a girl some love through reviews. Thank you for reading!**

 **Of course, I don't own Twilight. I'm just playing with the characters a bit…**

 **Chapter 3:**

Bella awoke with a start the next morning. She'd had a dream that she was running late for the first day of her internship so, glancing at her phone, she checked the time and date: Saturday, 7:15am. Nothing on today. She sighed, letting the panic subside. It was just her mind playing tricks on her. She still had a few weeks to wait before her internship started and she had absolutely nothing on this weekend as she'd taken it off from the bookstore so that she could relax for a while after graduation.

Having come to the conclusion that she wasn't going to fall asleep again, she climbed out of bed and made her way to the kitchen and her reason for existing: coffee. Other than the low groan of the espresso machine, the apartment was silent. _Alice must still be sleeping_ , Bella thought. Alice was a heavy sleeper, something Bella had always been jealous of. However, it was a very happy coincidence when they were sharing a room in college since Bella had a very annoying habit of talking in her sleep. The few embarrassing occasions on which Bella had fallen asleep before Alice, allowing Alice the opportunity to hear her unconscious musings, were burned into her mind.

What made the sleep talking worse – and perhaps the reason for it – were Bella's vivid dreams. Whether it was running late to work or extraordinary sex with a hot guy, if Bella had a dream, it was a vivid one.

"Wouldn't vivid sex dreams be a good thing?" Alice had asked after Bella had confessed her not-so-secret secret.

"Not when people can hear every sound you make and every word you say, Alice." Bella replied, blushing crimson.

It was true. Bella had lost her virginity to her high school sweetheart, Mike Newton, in their senior year. They had dated for the first two years of college and as Bella's sexual experience grew, her dreams became more vivid. Not only had she woken Charlie up on a few occasions in senior year – always coming up with some lame excuse for her shouts – but she felt the need to talk to Alice about it before she managed to embarrass herself in front of her new friend/dorm roommate.

Now, as an adult, having graduated school and college, living in an apartment with her own room, Bella wasn't so concerned about waking anyone up with her sleep talking. Besides, she was only ever truly embarrassed by it when it was a sex dream and those were few and far between these days. After all, she hadn't been interested in dating anyone for a while. That was why she ended things with Mike. She just needed some time to get to know herself and what she wanted out of life before sharing that with someone else.

Finishing her coffee, she returned to her room and got changed for the gym. She pulled her hair into a messy bun before brushing her teeth and heading out. Bella's visits to the gym weren't just about trying to lose weight, it was about commitment, drive and energy. Her gym was just down the street and whenever she was having a bad day, a quick workout at the gym always made her feel better. Not to mention, it was a great environment since she knew most of the people who worked there.

Emmett had been working at this gym for as long as Bella had known the Cullens. At first, he was doing a course to become a Personal Trainer and, now that he was fully qualified, he practically never left the place. Since he worked such long hours during the week – out of choice, not necessity – weekends were the only time he spent away from the gym. Even then, Bella often crossed paths with him when he was stopping by for a workout. His sister, on the other hand, made a point to avoid the gym like the plague. Not only did she feel no real desire to workout, on the occasions she had been roped into joining Bella, she had despised the sights, smells and sounds.

The receptionist, just starting for the day, was organising some paperwork and looked up as Bella walked through the door.

"Morning, Bella."

"Morning, Jess. Starting early today, are you?"

"Nah, they've changed the staffed hours on us again. We're here from 8am until 4pm on Saturdays now and not at all on Sundays. Don't ask me why but I'm not complaining – it gives me more time to get ready before going out on Saturday nights." She laughed.

"And more time to sleep off a hangover on Sunday." Bella joked with her. The staffed hours never really impacted her anyway since the gym was open 24 hours a day.

"Exactly." Jessica joked, nodding with mock seriousness. "Anyway, I'd better get to it. Enjoy your workout!"

"Thanks!" Bella replied, heading past the reception desk and into the main gym.

Sliding her gear into a locker, Bella looked around the room. It was fairly empty and she only really felt like a quick workout today so she made her way to the area in which the machines were set up as a circuit for a full body workout.

As always, Bella's workout flew by, leaving her muscles exhausted but a post-workout buzz was still running through her body as she let herself in to the apartment.

"Honey, I'm home." She called, hearing noises from the kitchen.

"Morning." Alice grumbled, rounding the corner with a plateful of toast before flopping onto the couch.

"Are you doing OK?" Bella looked at her friend with mock concern. Despite Bella's advice last night, Alice had too much wine. She was only little, after all, and couldn't hold much liquor.

"I'm fine." Alice glared. "You should take a shower. You smell gross." She complained.

Bella laughed. "It's not my fault you drank too much. I told you not to but you said 'I'm a strong, independent woman, Bella. I'll drink as much as I like.'" Bella re-enacted her friend's words in a sing-song voice before throwing a cushion at her and running to her bedroom before Alice could retaliate.

Laughing to herself, Bella made her way to her ensuite to have a shower.

"Damn it!" She had forgotten her shower was broken. She was going to have to brave a murderous Alice in the living room to get to the main bathroom.

Bella quickly collected up the toiletries she'd need. "Shampoo, conditioner and razor," she said, plucking the products from the shower, "and hairbrush, mousse, toothbrush and toothpaste." She muttered, collecting the items from the vanity. _OK, now to face a hungover Alice_ , she thought before readying herself to open her bedroom door and sprint to the main bathroom.

Evidently, Alice hadn't forgotten that Bella's shower was broken because she was ready and waiting, armed with the very same cushion Bella had thrown at her just moments ago.

"Ahhh!" Bella screamed, attempting to push past her friend but Alice was having none of it. She tackled Bella to the carpeted floor, scattering the toiletry products everywhere. In that moment, feeling a sense of responsibility for Esme's carpet, they both froze to check that nothing had broken and spilled. Seeing that nothing had been damaged, Bella took advantage of Alice's distraction. She made it half way to her feet before Alice pounced on her again, beating her with the cushion as Bella continued to scream and Alice laughed hysterically. Thanks to Alice's laughter though, her grip wasn't as strong this time and Bella managed to wriggle free, pushing Alice away in the process.

Stumbling as she rushed to pick up her toiletries – _Hairbrush. Where's my hairbrush?_ – Bella glanced back at her friend who was regaining her balance with a mischievous expression on her face. Panicked and spotting her hairbrush, Bella scooped it up without a second thought and sprinted to the bathroom. As she made her way through the door, she felt the cushion hit her heel before she closed it and locked it behind her.

"Phew!" Bella laughed, leaning her back against the bathroom door. "You're a crazy woman, Alice!" Bella shouted through the door.

"Not nearly as crazy as you, missy!" Alice retorted. "Now, go and wash all that sweat off. It was disgusting to touch you in that state." They both laughed and Bella pushed herself off the door, putting all her gear down and noticing an iPod dock.

 _Nice touch_ , Bella thought, pulling her phone out, placing it in the docking station and playing an album she was currently in love with. Turning the shower on, she undressed and let her hair down as she waited for the water to warm up. Looking at herself in the mirror, she was able to appreciate the toning she'd achieved in her arms and legs. Although it wasn't getting rid of her curves – which she was slowly coming to understand would never change – her time at the gym had definitely helped her tone up and she felt better for it. She could see muscles in her arms and legs that she never knew were there – a physical representation of her commitment to working out. It was a good feeling and she held herself a little taller because of it.

Stepping into the steamy shower, she sighed as the warm water ran over her body, soothing the muscle soreness from her workout. Taking her time to relax, she washed her hair and shaved her legs, letting the water soak into her skin. By the time she was done, her skin was wrinkly and any muscle soreness had subsided.

She climbed out of the shower, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around her but letting herself air-dry as she brushed her hair. If she didn't brush her hair immediately after washing it, it could end in disaster. She then ran some mousse through it in an effort to control the craziness.

It was a testament to Esme's interior design skills that Bella felt so comfortable in a bathroom that wasn't hers. She went to open the drawer which should have contained her makeup but she suddenly realised she hadn't brought it with her. Nor had she brought any clothes from her room.

"Damn." It was no big deal for Alice and Bella to see one another in just a towel. They'd seen each other in less while getting changed in their dorm room but she could only hope that Alice wasn't still on the warpath. Opening the door a crack, Bella called out to her friend. "Alice, please don't attack me! I forgot my clothes!"

In the next few moments, everything happened so quickly it was like slow motion. Without bothering to wait for a response from Alice, she opened the door and, in true Bella fashion, slipped on the tiles, stumbling and falling onto the carpeted floor of the living room. The toiletries she had been hugging to her chest one-handed flew everywhere _again_ , and she tried – and failed – to catch each piece on her descent to the floor. Finally hitting the floor herself, knees first, she let out a grunt followed by a defeated sigh.

She stayed as she was for a moment, flat on her stomach, wondering if there was any point in getting up. After all, Bella and the floor were on very good terms and they would be reunited soon enough. Eventually, she pulled herself onto all fours, pulling each of her toiletries products towards her. _At least my towel stayed on_ , she thought as a helping hand reached down to pick up her hairbrush and toothpaste – the two products that were farthest from her – before handing them to her.

"Thanks." Bella said and it took her a moment to realise that the hand was too big, too masculine to belong to Alice. Her head snapped up, meeting the stunningly green eyes of the man crouching down in front of her. He was regarding her with a worried look, like he wasn't sure if she was safe… or sane. _HOLY SHIT! Thank god my towel stayed on!_ She screamed to herself as she scrambled to her feet, facing him.

"Um…" Bella laughed nervously, "sorry about that… and thank you." She was 100 percent sure that she was blushing from head to toe. That, or she was still flushed from the shower. Either way, she was acutely embarrassed.

This man, this stunningly good-looking, green-eyed, sinfully masculine man was staring at her and he was no longer looking at her with concern. It was as though he'd only just realised she was in a towel and he was as stunned as she was. As his eyes wandered, he wasn't just giving her a standard onceover. His eyes were roaming from her feet, up her legs and to the towel – his gaze making her feel like he could see right through it – before pausing on her chest for a moment and finally coming to rest on her eyes. As their eyes locked and he took a step closer to her, Bella took a deep breath to compose herself but the breath was annoyingly shaky and it only served to draw his eyes back to her chest as it rose and fell with her breathing. After a moment, his eyes found hers again and she knew that the lust in his eyes was reflected in her own but she didn't know this man and, having gained some composure, Bella forced herself to blink a few times and take a step back to clear the lust-fuelled fog from her head.

"I found it!" Alice announced as she charged into the room, holding a key above her head triumphantly before stopping in her tracks. "Bella, are you OK? Why are you only wearing a towel?"

Bella, still a little foggy, couldn't explain properly. "Well, I… Uh… I fell?"

Alice just gave her friend with a questioning look.

"Well," Green Eyes jumped in, apparently fully composed, "Bella, here, had a pretty nasty fall as she was coming out of the bathroom and I was checking that she was OK."

"Well, welcome to the world of Bella Swan but is she OK, Doctor Edward?" Alice asked mockingly.

"Yes, she can be discharged with a clean bill of health." Edward joked as Alice rolled her eyes.

 _Edward? Edward! This is Edward?! The "I have a model for a girlfriend" Edward?! My best friend's brother, Edward?!_ Bella remarked to herself. _Nice of him to introduce himself._

"So, you're the famous Edward Cullen?" Bella asked, her embarrassment and lust turning into annoyance but expressing itself as politeness.

"I am." Edward smiled at her, meeting her eyes with a knowing look as he extended his right hand. She took it in hers, returning the handshake and doing her best to ignore the jolt of excitement as their skin touched.

"It's nice to officially meet you." She said as though they hadn't just been ready to jump one another.

"You as well, Bella." He replied, the picture of politeness but the playful look in his eyes told her those lust-filled thoughts weren't forgotten.

"Well," Bella started awkwardly, removing her hand from Edward's, "I should probably go… and –"

"Get dressed?" Alice suggested, laughing.

"Yes! That!" Bella said, pointing at Alice as she took inventory of the toiletries in her arms and started backing towards her room. Alice, not understanding Bella's strange behaviour, gave her a questioning look before turning to a grinning Edward and offering to give him a tour of the apartment. At this, Bella turned, rushing to her room and closing the door behind her.

"Jesus Christ." Bella sighed, her back against the door as she slid to the floor, her knees finally giving out. "Jesus fucking Christ. How and why? Yes, he's hot but why didn't you expect that, Bella? Their whole family is hot… Not to mention, he's dating some European supermodel. Of course he's hot. Shit." She sighed again, forcing herself to get to her feet. "Shake it off, Bella. Shake it off." She muttered, making herself move towards her ensuite to finish getting ready.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:**

 **I hope everyone liked the last chapter. I avoided using profanities until the end but I'm not going to censor my writing anymore. So, don't say I didn't warn you. Also, I'm not used to writing the stuff with the sexual tension or anything smutty so please let me know if it was/is any good.**

 **The book referred to in this chapter is "Dead as a Doornail" by Charlaine Harris (one of the novels in the Southern Vampire Mysteries series).**

 **Please show a girl some love by leaving a review. Please, please, PLEASE?! I've had a few favourites/follows but only one review. I'd love to know what you like/don't like… and if I'm accidently slipping any "Australian-isms" in…**

 **Thank you for reading!**

 **Of course, I don't own Twilight. I'm just playing with the characters a bit…**

 **Chapter 4:**

 _So that's not how you would have chosen to meet Edward. So what?_ Bella now had her usual makeup on and was wearing a pair of jeans with a tank top and a lightweight jumper. All that was left before entering the living room was her mental preparedness so she was trying to psych herself up before even considering opening her bedroom door. _He's taken, Bella. By a_ model _, no less. There's no way he would actually be interested in you and you wouldn't want him to anyway. You don't want to come between a happy couple. You can be friends with him, help him settle in and be his housemate but that's all. Besides, he's your best friend's brother. Imagine if things didn't work out. You could ruin everything. You can't lose Alice, Emmett, Carlisle and Esme!_

 _OK. Just friends._

Taking a deep, steadying breath, Bella emerged from her room but Alice and Edward were nowhere to be seen. Making her way to the couch, she made herself comfortable and grabbed her novel from the coffee table. As she opened it to the page she'd marked, she heard Alice and Edward enter the kitchen. Alice must have been showing him the rooms on the other side of the apartment.

"Why'd you get here so early anyway?" Bella heard Alice ask as she continued to read.

"What do you mean? I arrived as scheduled… My flight had an 8:00am arrival time and Dad had organised for a cab to take me here." Edward replied, confused.

"Oh! 8:00am! I thought you were coming in at 8:00 tonight! Well, I guess that's my fault." Alice chuckled at her own stupidity.

Bella cursed Alice under her breath for receiving and/or providing false information. If she'd expected Edward to arrive when he did, she never would have risked a towel run from the bathroom to her room. Trying to block out the conversation taking place in the next room, Bella continued reading.

"Well, that explains things then." Edward commented. He must have received a confused look from Alice because he continued. "Your friend. I can't imagine she would have knowingly put herself in that situation." He chuckled. "Not that I'm complaining. You never told me Bella's hot." And suddenly Bella wasn't reading anymore. She was still staring at her open book but there was no way she wanted to miss this.

"Um, excuse me, Mister I'm-dating-a-model," Alice retorted. "Why should I tell you whether or not my roommate is hot?"

"Wait. How do you know Tanya's a model?" Edward asked.

"I'm sorry, did you forget who our parents are? They gossip like schoolgirls." Alice said, making Edward laugh.

"Emmett's no better… Though I don't think he knows about the model part yet… Oh god. Can you imagine? I don't think I should tell him." Edward joked as they both laughed.

 _This is why I'm glad he's staying here_ , Bella thought. _It'll make Alice happy to have him around again._

"Anyway," Alice said, continuing her tour after their laughter died down, "this, as you can see, is the kitchen. It contains cupboards, drawers, a pantry, a fridge and, most importantly, a wine rack." Bella smiled to herself. She could practically see Alice gesturing around the room like a model on a game show.

Edward laughed. "Alice, you dweeb, I know wine is important to you but what's in the cupboards and drawers? That's what I really need to know."

"Bleh, boring." Alice replied but she showed him nonetheless.

With the tour back on track, Bella had returned to her book…

 _He stood by me propped against his desk and set his crutches aside. He put his arm around me. I turned to him and slid my arms around his waist. He held me to him and I felt peaceful for a wonderful minute. The heat of his body warmed me, and the knowledge of his affection comforted me._

 _"Does your leg hurt?" I asked when he moved restlessly._

…until she heard her name mentioned again.

"– Bella on Facebook." Alice said. _What about my Facebook?_ Bella asked herself.

"Oh," Edward groaned, "please tell me you're joking?" He asked, exasperated. "I hope Bella didn't accept the request. She needs to learn to keep her nose to herself and just trust me." _Oh, the friend request from the model? Sounds like she gets jealous. Well, it's no wonder if he looks at every dull woman the way he looked at me earlier. Imagine the way he must look at a women who are actually worth looking at,_ Bella thought.

"Well, from the way you were talking about Bella a minute ago, I wouldn't blame Tanya if she doesn't trust you." Alice challenged. _Maybe Alice wasn't as oblivious to the earlier tension as I thought she was_ , Bella considered.

"Oh, come on. That was different. My first impression of Bella was a pretty extreme one. She caught me by surprise, I was worried about her at first. She was all clumsy and wet and she wasn't standing up…" He seemed to trail off thoughtfully. "And she was only wearing a towel! What's a man to do?" Edward paused, waiting for a response from Alice. Evidently, he didn't get the response he wanted so he continued on, "The point is, I've never given Tanya any reason not to trust me and Bella was an exception. What would you do if a good-looking mostly-naked man fell down in front of you while you were overtired and jetlagged?"

 _That makes more sense_ , Bella thought. _So he doesn't react that way to all women… He's just dopey and jetlagged…_ Explaining Edward's earlier behaviour away, Bella felt slightly more comfortable but she couldn't help feeling a pang of disappointment.

"OK, calm down. I believe you." Alice laughed. "It's weird for me to hear you talk about that sort of thing anyway. I'm your baby sister, remember?"

Edward let out a relaxed laugh. It was a laugh that sounded so easy and genuine, it made Bella smile from the next room. "Sorry, Ali."

"So, tell me more about Tanya." Alice asked and Bella could hear the smile in her voice. She was happy to have her bother home.

"Well, she's stunning." Edward explained. "She was born in France but her parents died when she was around… 13, I think? That's when she moved to England to be with her extended family. Her relationship with them is pretty strained though. I'm sure she's thankful to them for taking her in but she doesn't talk about them much. Surprisingly – or unsurprisingly, I don't know – for a model, she's got a lot of insecurities. I don't know if it's because of her upbringing or if it's just the way she is but she can be very jealous. She wasn't very happy when I told her I might be living with a family friend rather than _just_ family. That would be why she added Bella on Facebook. She probably wanted to check her out – see if she's a threat." He sighed, sounding exasperated and tired. "Even after I've tried so hard to convince her, she just doesn't know how to trust me."

"That's such a shame, Edward." Alice replied, her voice full of sympathy. "But we'll get to meet her soon? Mum and Dad said she might be coming to visit?"

"Yeah," Edward replied, "I need to speak with you guys about that."

With these new confessions, Bella no longer knew what to make of Edward. She was still more than happy to be his friend but she didn't know if it would be that easy. She did, however, know what would happen next and her solution was to continue staring at her book, pretending to read.

"Well, follow me. Once Bella hears us out here, she'll join us soon enough. It's our code." Alice said, leading her brother to the living room.

"Really?" Edward asked, disbelief lining his voice.

"Really, really." Alice replied cheerfully as she entered the room. "Oh, look! It already worked." Alice said happily, making herself comfortable on the couch next to her friend.

"Wow," Edward muttered, his eyes locking with Bella's for a moment.

Within seconds, the expression on his face transformed into one of panic – _maybe he knows I heard them_ – followed by hesitation and… _Could he be nervous?_ Bella thought.

"Um, do you mind if we join you?" he asked.

Bella smiled and gestured to the couches. As Edward situated himself on the adjacent couch, Bella felt she needed to explain a few things and decided, while they were at it, they should probably explain the "house rules" to him. _That's what friends do, right?_ She thought as she closed her book, placing it back on the coffee table.

"Edward," Bella started and his eyes snapped to her. Refusing to be intimidated by his gaze – whether that was his intention or not – she continued, "I don't know if you've had housemates or roommates before but, just so you know, our bedrooms are our escape. If we ever need time to ourselves, that's where we go. Lord knows there's enough space in those rooms." She laughed as Alice rolled her eyes. "Out here, however, is common ground. Everyone is welcome and you don't have to ask to join me." She met his eyes with a smile. "Also, I do most of the cooking since Alice almost killed us the last time she tried. There's leftover lasagne in the fridge if you'd like some. If you have any preferences about keeping food, you'll need to label it. If it's not labelled, it's fair game."

Edward's concentration seemed momentarily broken by the word "lasagne" but he continued nodding along seriously, taking the rest in.

"Yeah," Alice chimed in, "these are rules we've taken the time to develop and they work pretty damn well so don't mess with them. Oh and the sticky notes and a pen can be found next to the fridge." Bella laughed at her friend. As soon as they determined a rule, Alice was always the first to enforce it.

"Fair enough," Edward replied, smiling at them and relaxing into his seat a bit more, "that all seems fair. Alice knows this but I've haven't, in fact, had a roommate or housemate before so this is new to me." He paused, leaning forward now but still seemingly relaxed, "Now, there's something I need to talk to the two of you about."

Alice and Bella exchanged a look.

"You both seem to already know that Tanya may be coming to visit in a couple of weeks but I need to know whether or not you would be comfortable with her staying here throughout the duration of her visit." Edward explained.

"How long will she be in town?" Alice asked.

"It will only be a week or two. She has a job lined up that starts in four weeks and the job she's currently completing won't be finished until the middle of next week."

"Well, I don't see why not." Bella shrugged. "Like I said, we've got plenty of room." She looked to Alice.

"OK but what else is there?" Alice asked, looking at her brother with suspicion. "I know you – there's more to come."

Surprised, Bella looked back at Edward who, once again, seemed to look nervous.

"Well, I met Tanya through Jasper and his sister, Rosalie. They were talking about coming out this way too…" Edward said. _Where the hell is he going with this?_ Bella wondered, looking to Alice for clarification but she just shrugged.

"And Jasper and Rosalie are…?" Alice pressed, clearly wanting a proper explanation.

"Jasper's my closest friend." Edward explained, looking between Alice and Bella. "He and his sister grew up here, in the States, but they lost their parents soon after Jasper graduated from school. He was 18 and she was 16, I think. They inherited a lot of money from their parents and, the way Jasper tells it, it didn't take him long to realise they needed a fresh start… So they moved to England. He was Rosalie's legal guardian and he didn't want to them to just live off their inheritance so he got a job at Marco's at around the same time I did. The point is, he's a great guy and I didn't get along with Rose at first but she grew on me. You'd like her, Alice. She can be a bit shallow at times but, other than that, she reminds me a lot of you. She's your age and she's looking to start a career in fashion too."

"Why didn't I know any of this, Edward? If you're so close to them, why haven't you told me about them before?" Alice asked. To Bella's surprise, her friend didn't just look disappointed, she looked truly upset by the fact that Edward had kept such a large part of his life from her.

Looking just at Alice now, Edward explained, "He was there for me, Alice. When I left home and moved to England, he's what kept me sane." Suddenly, with those words, Bella understood and she immediately wanted to leave. This was would soon become a very emotional conversation they needed to have as a family but she was there, in the middle, feeling like an intruder. Oblivious to Bella's desire to escape, Edward continued, his eyes full of sympathy and apologies as he looked at his sister who was on the verge of tears. "Jasper became like a brother to me and, Rose, a sister. Suddenly, I had a family again and it was such a relief. I felt like I could breathe again." He took a deep breath before continuing, "I'm sorry I never told you, Ali. I never told anyone from back home about Jasper and Rose. I just kept my two worlds separate. It seemed better that way."

"What's changed now?" Alice asked, squeezing her eyes tight for a moment, as if willing away the tears that were already running down her cheeks. When she opened them again, she was staring at her hands. "Are you only telling me because you want them to come and stay? Would you have told me otherwise?"

"How about I go and make some tea?" Bella suggested abruptly, standing up and motioning for Edward to come and take her seat so he could be next to his sister. He nodded in thanks and, as she made her way to the kitchen, Bella saw Edward moving next to his sister, holding her hands in his.

"Alice, please listen to me, it's not like that." Bella heard Edward explain. "I just didn't want to hurt anyone. I knew we all missed each other but you, especially, were missing me. I missed you terribly too but Jasper and Rose helped me through it and, in telling you about them, I didn't want you to think I'd replaced you and our family. You know that would be impossible." He chuckled a little but it was weak. _Is he fighting tears too?_ Bella wondered as she poured the hot water into the teapot. "I'm telling you now because I should have told you a long time ago and, no matter what, I always planned on telling you on my return. Plus, I've always wanted you to meet them. You'd get along so well."

Bella smiled, trying not to listen but also trying to gauge the tone of the conversation. Rather than presenting and pouring the tea when she usually would, Bella waited an extra couple of minutes, allowing Alice and Edward to finish talking. She had never before seen Alice look so hurt. It pained her to see her friend feeling that way. She knew, however, that Edward would be able to fix it. She definitely knew that much about him and his relationship with Alice.

Soon enough, Bella chanced a peek around the corner and Edward looked to her, smiling.

"I could use a hand with the tea." Bella said, deciding the worst had passed. Immediately, Edward hopped up and came to help. At the sound of Bella's voice, Alice looked at her with puffy eyes and an apologetic smile. Bella simply responded with a smile and a small shake of her head. _Don't worry about it, Alice_. She knew her friend got the message so she followed it by poking her tongue out.

"Oi!" Alice shouted, trying to get some form of revenge. "Don't trust her, Edward! She's clumsier than you can imagine and I can almost guarantee she'll drop something on you!"

They all laughed at Alice's words before Bella turned back to the kitchen.

"It's true, you know. You should probably protect yourself." She said, still smiling as she pulled out the cups and went searching for the heat-mat for the teapot.

"Oh, I've noticed. Not everyone is capable of slipping on carpet." Edward replied, his mouth turned up in a teasing half-smile. "Why do you think I was so quick to volunteer myself to carry the one thing here that contains liquid?" He continued, gesturing to the teapot in his hands.

"Correction," Bella defended herself as she rummaged around in a cupboard, "I slipped on the _tiles_ and _fell_ on the carpet, thank you very much."

"Yeah, OK." He replied, still smirking at her. "I'll believe you this time and I'll stop teasing you for it but I make no promises to hold back if it happens again."

After a moment, the double meaning of his words sank in and, in shock, Bella jolted upright and threw a glare at him… but he was gone.

Scooping up the cups, Bella marched into the living room, ready to scold Edward for putting the teapot down without the heat-mat but, apparently, he'd found the mat she was looking for.

"Oh, good! Cups. We'll need those." Edward said, smirking at Bella, to which she responded with a glare.

 _This man will be the death of me._


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note:**

 **I hope everyone liked the last chapter. I know it wasn't super fun but it just flowed once I started writing it and I didn't want to hold back… I tried to work some fun/cuteness in there nonetheless…**

 **To those who left reviews: Thank you so much! It's so encouraging to get feedback and comments.**

 **To everyone: Thank you for reading! I'm sorry I've taken so long to update! Life has been bonkers! Work, birthdays, family, friends and even weddings have been getting in the way.**

 **About this chapter: This is just a little one but I hope you like it. I struggled a bit at the start but it started flowing about halfway through.**

 **Of course, I don't own Twilight. I'm just playing with the characters a bit…**

 **Chapter 5:**

Not knowing what to make of Edward's behaviour but knowing she wouldn't be able to come to a decision as long as they were in the same room, Bella simply decided that the best temporary solution was to go with the flow.

 _If he wants to flirt, two can play at that game_ , she thought. _You will not, however, initiate any flirting. He's a taken man. He's probably not even interested. It's just the thrill of the chase – wanting what he can't have – you just need to make sure you don't cross any lines_ , Bella told herself sternly. _Once you can have a little more time to think about it, you can figure things out properly._ _In the meantime, we still have a few things to discuss_ , she concluded.

Deciding she had come to a reasonable conclusion, Bella settled back into her place next to a now cheerful Alice on the couch. Edward returned to the adjacent couch and the three of them now cradled cups of tea as Alice and Edward discussed the rooming situation.

"So, just to clarify, in telling us about Tanya, Jasper and Rosalie, you're asking if we'd be happy for all _three_ of them to come and stay with us?" Alice asked.

"I know it's a lot to ask but yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. Only if you're both comfortable with it though." Edward said, his face entirely serious as he looked between his sister and Bella. "It's going to be enough of an adjustment for you with me here. I don't want either of you to feel uncomfortable." He continued, his gaze lingering on Bella for a few moments as their eyes met.

In that moment, the seriousness of his words and the similarities they shared with Carlisle and Esme's the previous day, resulted in – for the first time – Bella being unfazed by his stare. In fact, she almost laughed. _The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. They really are a remarkable family_ , she thought. Her thoughts were following a similar line to that of the previous day too. Why not? There was always the option of escaping to her room. _If need be, I could live in there quite comfortably for some time_ , she thought.

"And you mentioned that Tanya would only be staying for a few weeks?" Bella asked. "Would that be the case for Jasper and Rosalie too?"

"Actually, no." Edward replied, returning his cup to the coaster. "They're looking at moving to Seattle and I was hoping they could stay here until they find their own place. Like I mentioned, though, they're well-off. There's no reason they shouldn't be able to afford to stay at a hotel for a while. I'm only suggesting this because it would be nice for them to meet you guys… To have some 'friends on arrival' if you know what I mean…" He trailed off, glancing back and forth between the girls again.

Bella could tell Edward wanted to be able to do this for his friends. He'd experienced a tough time and they'd helped him through it. In a way, he wanted to be able to return the favour. Bella looked to Alice, trying to determine her reaction to the request. Despite the fact that she didn't mind either way, if Alice didn't want these people living with them – no matter how temporary – Bella would support her decision. Alice, however, looked excited as she returned Bella's gaze.

"Would you be OK with it, Bella?" Alice asked. Bella had a feeling her friend knew exactly what her response was going to be but there was no way Alice would speak on her behalf. Unlike the previous day, when her excitement had taken over, she was now making sure she was doing the right thing by clarifying with her friend. Alice wanted 100 percent confirmation from Bella before approving Edward's request.

Bella gave her friend a small, almost imperceptible, smile before looking back to Edward who, to Bella's delight, looked nervous as hell. _At least I know he gets nervous_ , she thought, _but good lord, how does anyone look so attractive with so little effort?_

Leaning forward with his elbows resting on his knees, he looked like a model. While most people would look exhausted after an overnight flight, with his flawless posture, hands together, fingers interlocked, perfectly messy hair and intense gaze, Edward looked like any woman's fantasy.

Although it seemed impossible, the image of the man on the couch was only made more spectacular when Alice approved his request. His face cracked into a huge, genuine smile as he thanked both of the girls and, as he leaned back, all tension and nervousness leaving his body, his eyes lingered on Bella again.

Although she felt a little more relaxed herself, she avoided his gaze. _Probably best to avoid these moments if it can be helped_ , Bella thought. _The plan may be to go with the flow but avoidance is best..._

"Well, I'm looking forward to meeting them," Alice interrupted Bella's thoughts, "And, now that's all sorted, do you want some sleep? You must be exhausted from the flight." She asked her brother.

"I would." Edward replied. "I'd _love_ some sleep but I shouldn't. The sooner I can get my body clock on track, the better. Speaking of which, since you guys are happy for Rose and Jasper to stay, it's probably best that I leave the rooms on your side of the apartment for them, Alice. That way they can be near each other and Tanya can room with me."

"Fair enough," Alice said, "just don't share any details on your sexual activities with me. I don't want to hear it! Oh and you might want to keep it down so Bella doesn't have to hear you two going at it in the next room."

"Alice!" Bella and Edward both exclaimed, appalled and more than a little embarrassed.

"What?" Alice responded with the false face of an angel.

 _You little shit_ , Bella thought.

" _Anyway_ , Edward," Bella started, glaring at her friend and attempting to steer the conversation away from sex, "I don't know if your tour guide was any good," she said, giving Alice a pointed look, "but you should know that each bedroom has an ensuite…?" She questioned.

"I do but it's no thanks to Alice." Edward replied, pulling a face at his sister before meeting Bella's eyes with an amused expression. "Mum and Dad were actually the ones to tell me that…"

"As long as _someone's_ getting the job done." Bella continued to tease Alice.

"Hey, if you guys are going to start ganging up on me, I'm going to have to kick someone out!" Alice replied to the teasing indignantly. Both Bella and Edward laughed at her words.

"Sorry Ali." Edward replied.

Bella just threw her friend a cheeky grin before continuing, "Anyway," she pressed on, turning back to Edward, "you should know that the main bathroom is rarely used so you are welcome to it once your guests are here. I only used it this morning because the shower in my ensuite is broken. Carlisle's plumber will be here later today to fix it."

"Oh, so you don't usually run around the place wearing nothing but a towel?" Edward teased, unleashing a smirk.

"No," Bella playfully glared at him as a smile pulled at the corners of her lips, "I don't make a habit of it."

"That's a shame." Edward commented matter-of-factly before scooping up the cups and teapot, taking everything to the kitchen before Bella could respond.

"Your brother!" Bella whisper-shouted to Alice once she was sure Edward was out of earshot. "He's the worst! ... I obviously don't mean the worst-worst – he actually seems like a nice guy – but seriously, why's he flirting with me?"

Alice chuckled. "Is that so surprising, Bella?"

"Yes, Alice!" Bella replied, still whispering even though Alice had made no attempt to lower her voice. "He's way out of my league _and_ he has a girlfriend."

"OK, let's get one thing straight," Alice said, lowering her voice this time, "you're beautiful. He is _not_ out of your league at all." She paused and let out a sigh after seeing the expression on Bella's face. "I know you don't believe me but I'm telling you the truth, Bella." She drove her point home with a stern look before continuing. "I'll admit the girlfriend thing is an issue though. Apparently she gets pretty jealous."

"Yeah, I heard." Bella replied without thinking.

"Oh, so you _were_ listening? I knew it!" Alice teased, a sly smirk on her face. "So you know how hot he thinks you are? How can you argue with me after hearing that?"

"Come on, Alice." Bella replied in a disbelieving tone, "He said himself that he was just caught by surprise and he was worried because I wasn't moving. He's a doctor, for god's sake! His training kicked in." _That's a good way to explain it_ , Bella thought. Deep down, she knew there was more than professional concern in Edward's eyes when he'd looked at her but explaining it away to someone else helped Bella convince herself she'd imagined certain parts of the encounter…

Alice sighed again, knowing her friend wasn't going to believe any other argument. She had hoped for a long time that she might be able to help Bella develop her self-confidence but she'd already done everything she could think of and she was utterly stumped for ideas. The greatest progress so far had been something Bella had discovered herself: the gym. Alice had noticed an impressive increase in Bella's confidence since she'd started working out but it wasn't nearly as much as Bella deserved. _If only Edward was single_ , she thought. _They would make a great couple…_

"Hey, Bella?" Edward called from the kitchen, catching the attention of both girls. "Were you serious about the whole lasagne thing? Can I eat some now?"

"NO!" Alice shouted. "Don't you dare! It's mine!"

"Ignore her." Bella called out, laughing. "You can help yourself but only if you heat some up for us too!"

"Will do. Thanks!" Edward replied.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note:**

 **I've been working on this chapter for a while. I hope you all enjoy it. It's been a bit tricky to get out and I've had to hold myself back a bit. I'm a slow writer but I love this story. It makes me want to write it all day, every day BUT I need to get things done as well. I'm just having to set myself allotted times to write so it doesn't take over my life.**

 **To those who left reviews: Thank you so much! It's so encouraging to get feedback and comments.**

 **To everyone else: Thank you for reading/favouriting/following! Please consider leaving a review. If you're reading it consistently and enjoying it, I'd love to know what you do/don't like.**

 **Disclaimer: Of course, I don't own Twilight. I'm just playing with the characters a bit…**

 **Chapter 6:**

"God, Bella," Edward moaned, "this is amazing."

Bella had been desperately trying to concentrate on her food for the last five minutes. The sights and sounds Edward had been producing while eating his lasagne were utterly sinful. As if the sight of him licking his lips in anticipation hadn't been enough, the constant moans were provoking all sorts of inappropriate thoughts.

 _Faaarking hell_ , Bella thought, _does he even realise what he's doing? It's a damn good thing he can't read my mind…_

Attempting a few pointed looks hadn't been enough either. Edward had just continued eating, seemingly oblivious to Bella's discomfort. He was far too enraptured by his food to notice anything going on around him.

Alice hadn't noticed either. Apparently this was normal behaviour. Bella knew the Cullens loved their food but Alice certainly didn't make such sensual noises while eating. At least, if she did, Bella didn't notice.

 _Snap out of it and focus on your food, Bella._

"So, Edward, tell us more about Jasper and Rosalie." Bella asked, hoping to distract him from his food so she could get her thoughts together.

"Well," Edward started, "Rose has a lot of the same interests as you, Alice…" He paused to think before continuing, "as far as fashion goes, at least. She's a total car nut too – even more so than Emmett."

"Wow." Both girls responded. Knowing how much Emmett loved cars, they were very impressed by this revelation.

"Yeah, it definitely took me by surprise at first." Edward chuckled. "But that's more of a hobby anyway. She studied marketing to pursue a career in fashion – just like you, Ali."

Alice nodded in approval.

"What else…?" Edward continued thoughtfully. "She can be a bit vain – shallow, I guess. Then again, I guess those traits can help in modelling. It probably helps buffer the negativity..."

"Oh, so she's a model too?" Alice asked, curiosity in her voice as she set her empty plate on the coffee table.

"Yeah, Rose and Tanya work for the same modelling company these days. They met in school – back when Jasper and Rose moved over there – and they've been close ever since. Their modelling contracts don't run out for another week though so they were planning on coming over the week after next." Edward replied and finally, with one last mouthful, he finished his food.

Letting out a mental sigh of relief, Bella returned to her food. Since Edward had stopped making such ridiculously hot noises, she was able to actually consume her food without her mind running wild.

"So she's the one in all those photos with Tanya on Facebook?" Alice asked as Edward nodded. "And what's her deal? She doesn't have a boyfriend back there?"

To the surprise of both Alice and Bella, Edward laughed.

"No, Rose is very picky when it comes to dating." Edward explained as he chuckled. "She's dated a few of the guys she met through her modelling but it's never been anything more than a few dates. She's very specific about what she wants."

"Hey," Alice defended, "you can't blame a girl for being picky. There are some real sleazes out there."

"It's true." Bella agreed, nodding. "And, if those photos are any indication, she can afford to be picky. She's absolutely beautiful."

"True." Edward agreed, nodding as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. "And this is Jasper. They've got some pretty damn good genetics." He commented as he opened Facebook and showed the girl Jasper's profile picture.

"Holy shit!" Alice exclaimed, causing both Edward and Bella to laugh.

"So, tell us about Jasper." Bella chuckled as Alice took the phone from her brother and proceeded to flick through more pictures.

"Well, he has a really relaxed personality and presence. He gets along with everyone." Edward explained. "He's always a hit with the patrons at the bar… Especially the ladies. He's single though. He's been on a number of dates since I've known him but it's never been anything serious. He seems to think he'll know 'the one' when he sees her." Edward chuckled, shaking his head.

"Hey, there's nothing wrong with believing in true love." Alice defended, handing her brother's phone back.

"Of course there's nothing wrong with believing in true love, Ali. I know better than to argue with you over that." Edward replied. "Love at first sight just seems a bit much."

"We'll see. You might change your mind about that one day." Alice replied cheerfully before continuing in a teasing tone. "So, is Tanya your true love, Edward?"

At that question, Edward became visibly tense and glared at his sister.

"Tanya and I are happy and you know I don't like to talk about that sort of thing." He replied tersely. "Weren't you seeing someone anyway, Alice? Why are you so interested in Jasper?" He queried.

Bella noticed, since Edward had managed to successfully divert the conversation, he had relaxed back into the couch. He was quite deliberately listening to Alice's recollection of her recent dating failure. He was asking prompting questions, very effectively encouraging Alice's chatter about the man who was a wonderful guy but he wasn't "The One."

 _There's something he's not telling us._ Bella thought. _He's deliberately keeping something about his relationship to himself. It's none of your business though, Bella. You only just met him. His relationship is none of your business…_

"– not like some of the guys Bella's been unfortunate enough to date though! You've got to raise your standards, girl!" Alice teased, bringing Bella back into the conversation.

"Oh, really?" Edward looked at Bella with a teasing smirk. "Do tell. This sounds entertaining."

"Come on, Alice," Bella rolled her eyes, grinning, "they haven't been _that_ bad."

"Really?" Alice replied in disbelief. "I know Mike wasn't bad to begin with but he was a real dick by the time you ended things."

"Yes, Alice." Bella replied, playing along with the teasing, "If you recall, the cheating and general arsehole behaviour were the _reason_ I ended things." As Bella rolled her eyes again, she chanced a glance at Edward who was grinning at the exchange.

"And there's no denying the creepiness of Eric…" Alice continued.

"Oh! That's not fair!" Bella remarked before turning to Edward, "That's not included. I only ever went on two dates with Eric. He seemed nice to begin with but when he suggested a threesome with the waitress, I ran the other way." With that revelation, Bella laughed along with Edward and Alice.

"Wow, Bella." Edward continued to chuckle as their laughter died down, "Alice might be right. You should probably raise your standards." He teased. "It sounds like those guys need a lesson in class."

"Oh and I suppose you could teach them?" Alice teased her brother.

"Of course I could!" Edward defended, playing along. "Our parents raised me to be a respectful gentleman. I could show those guys a thing or two about the way a beautiful woman should be treated."

At the words, "beautiful woman," Bella decided she needed to change the topic. _We're either moving into dangerous territory or – more likely – they're no longer talking about me_ , she thought.

"OK, maybe I should raise my standards." She commented, trying to maintain a joking tone. "But, Alice, you know full-well that I haven't even attempted any dates with random guys since the Eric incident."

"You're right, Bella…" Alice replied thoughtfully. "And now there's Jacob… He's an improvement…" She said, looking at her friend and trying to determine her reaction.

The topic of Jacob was one that was rarely discussed but Alice could see the way it pained Bella. While Jacob hadn't said it so many words, Bella and Alice knew he had wanted to escape the "friend zone" for a while. Bella, however, wasn't sure if she wanted to pursue the kind of relationship Jacob wanted but she also wasn't sure that _didn't_ want to. Her biggest concern was that she was running out of time and, either way, she feared she would lose one of her oldest and dearest friends.

"Jacob?" Edward asked. His voice sounded politely curious but Bella noticed a frown on his face as his gaze darted between them in search of an explanation.

"Jacob is…" Bella began to explain before pausing to take a deep breath. "I've known Jacob since I was little. When he moved here, I sent him in Emmett's direction. He works at the gym with him now." She paused again, wondering how to explain things. "He's a great guy – genuine and loyal – but now he wants more than friendship from me and I'm not sure what to do."

The light tone of their earlier conversation had quickly vanished and been replaced with the concern Bella had felt whenever this topic came up. The same concern was extended in Alice and Edward. Although Edward had just met Bella, it was clear from her tone and the sudden change in mood that she was upset about the issue.

"You don't want to lose your friend." He asked rhetorically as Bella's eyes met his and she nodded.

For the second time, the seriousness of the topic meant that Bella wasn't overwhelmed or intimidated by Edward's gaze. His eyes weren't full of lust, desire or even amusement this time. Instead, they were full of concern. She couldn't be sure but his expression – combined with the frown on his face – made her feel like he was concentrating on something. Like he was trying to figure out what she was thinking.

"It's not fair of him to put you in this position, Bella." Alice said, her eyes full of concern too. Her voice, however, was tainted with frustration. Not frustration with Bella but with Jacob.

This topic had been playing at Bella's mind for some time and Alice was growing weary of Jacob's selfishness. While he hadn't said anything, he had managed to make his intentions clear and the chance of losing him was tearing Bella apart. Alice hated seeing the way it affected her friend and she desperately wanted to be able to help her. How? She wasn't sure.

"It's not his fault, Alice." Bella replied. "He can't help how he feels and what he wants."

"But what do _you_ want, Bella?" Edward asked, his gaze still one of concern and concentration.

 _Well, that's a loaded question_ , Bella thought. _Especially coming from him… What do I want?_

"The way I see it… I'm running out of time." Bella explained. "Soon enough, he'll actually say something or try something and I don't want to risk losing him…"

"Is that your only concern? Saying 'no' and risking the loss of your friendship?" Edward asked gently. "What do you _want_? Do you want to be with him? Do you want to say 'yes'?"

"I honestly don't know." Bella replied thoughtfully. Edward was asking her everything she'd been asking herself for months. The difference was, when he asked, it didn't seem so complicated. "I feel like… Maybe I should give it a chance. Maybe we've been friends for so long for a reason. Maybe we owe it to ourselves to give it a shot…" She let out a small laugh. "I feel like I'm talking myself into it."

Alice and Edward let out small chuckles of their own.

"Sometimes you just need to think out loud." Alice commented. "We all do it."

"Yeah," Edward commented, "it's tricky and there's no such thing as overthinking things in this situation but I'm sure you'll be OK in the long run… No matter what you decide."

"And, whatever you decide, I'll be here for you." Alice concluded, placing a comforting hand on Bella's leg before giving it a little, playful shove, successfully breaking the tense mood. Bella chuckled and gave Alice a small shove back before giving her a thankful smile and wrapping her arms around her.

Breaking out of the hug, Bella smiled at her friend and looked to Edward. His expression, though he was still frowning, had lightened after seeing the playful interaction between the two girls.

"Thank you, both of you." She said, looking at Alice and Edward. "Hopefully I'll be able to figure this mess out soon."

Before Bella was able to dwell any further on her Jacob issue, they were interrupted by a ringing phone. Knowing it was an unfamiliar tone, Bella and Alice both looked to Edward who was reaching into his pocket to retrieve his mobile. As he glanced at the screen and saw the caller ID, he looked up at the girls, grinning, before accepting the call.

"Emmett, brother, how are you?"

 **AN:**

 **Sorry it got a bit heavy there. I'm hoping the next one will be a lot lighter… and I'm pretty sure it will be since Emmett will be involved.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note:**

 **About this chapter: PLEASE TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK OF THE ENDING HERE. I NEED TO KNOW IF IT'S ANY GOOD. Again, I'm sorry for the slow update. I think we all know what it's like at this time of the year…**

 **To those who left reviews: Thank you so much! It's so encouraging to get feedback and comments.**

 **To everyone else: Thank you for reading/favouriting/following! Please consider leaving a review. If you're reading it consistently and enjoying it, I'd love to know what you do/don't like.**

 **Disclaimer: Of course, I don't own Twilight. I'm just playing with the characters a bit…**

 **Chapter 7:**

"Brother! Welcome home!" Alice and Bella laughed as they heard Emmett's booming voice. Edward flinched and pulled the phone away from his ear.

"Jesus, Emmett! The phone's not even on loudspeaker but I'm pretty sure Alice and Bella were still able to hear every word you just said." Edward commented, laughing at his brother.

"Oh!" Alice remarked, clearly remembering something. "On the topic of loud people, I need to respond to a work email." She quickly explained to Bella before ducking into her room to retrieve her laptop.

Chuckling at the way Alice spoke about her bosses – as though Alice wasn't just as loud and excitable as the rest of them – Bella cleared up the plates from their lasagne.

"Hang on, Emmett." Edward, who had started wandering round the room while continuing his now normal-volume conversation with his brother, took the phone away from his ear for a moment. "Thanks, Bella. That was amazing." He said with a thankful smile.

Bella nodded and smiled in response as Edward, still smiling at her, returned to his conversation with Emmett.

 _God_ , Bella thought as she took the dishes to the kitchen, _he needs to stop smiling at me. Yes, that one was seemingly innocent but he seems to have the ability to turn innocent into highly suggestive at the drop of a hat._ Not wanting to return to the living room so soon, Bella made herself busy in the kitchen until she could hear Edward's conversation with Emmett wrapping up.

As soon as she rounded the corner and made herself comfortable on the couch, Edward caught her attention. "OK, so you'll be here in about 30 minutes then?" He asked Emmett. "Is that OK?" He mouthed to Bella, pointing at his phone. She smiled and nodded, excited to see Emmett. Edward smiled back but rolled his eyes at whatever his brother had just said. "No, Emmett, you don't need to 'show me the sights.' I'm not a tourist. I used to live here, remember?" Again, Emmett responded with something that caused Edward to roll his eyes and chuckle. "See you soon, Em." Edward said before ending the call.

Edward sighed as he pocketed his phone and flopped, annoyingly gracefully, onto the adjacent couch. His head was craning back to rest on the back cushion as he finally let his body give in to a bit of the fatigue from the travel. "I'm not going to survive the day." He commented, staring at the ceiling.

"Tired?" Bella asked, still smiling at the interaction she'd witnessed between the brothers. Despite the fact that she had only met Edward that morning and, in such a short time, he had managed to make her very nervous, Bella was surprised by the ease with which she could interact with him. _I actually feel comfortable with him_. She thought. _Probably because I know his family so well and know that, despite that intense gaze and the lust that was in his eyes earlier, he's a good guy. He would never mean to cause harm to anyone. How could he be any other way after being raised by Carlisle and Esme?_

"Very." He sighed again before letting his head roll to the side to face Bella. "And Emmett said he wants to show me the 'grownup' sites of Seattle since I was underage when I left… Please rescue me." He joked.

"Oh God." Bella replied, chuckling at the image of an excited Emmett dragging a half-asleep Edward around the city. "Let's hope that doesn't mean strip clubs all afternoon." She joked, however unlikely the thought was. Without realising it, she was reflecting Edward's relaxed posture by leaning on the arm of her couch, her body angling towards his. "Then again," Bella teased. "Strippers might keep you awake."

"I'm sure they would keep me awake," he replied, sitting forward in his seat, his body leaning toward Bella of its own accord, "but I've already had a striptease today and nothing could compare to that." He had a sly grin on his face and, suddenly, it was as though they were back when they first met. His gaze was intense as their eyes met and the intensity only grew as they both recalled the moments following her falling over in her towel. She knew that, despite her nervousness and her reservations, the look in her own eyes matched his. She was unbelievably attracted to this man… and she'd only known him for a few hours!

Thankfully, Alice chose that moment to return to the room, immediately diffusing the tension as Bella and Edward broke their heated gaze to look at her. Realising she had been leaning forward, Bella relaxed back in her seat as she noticed Edward do the same. Bella was the first to speak as a seemingly oblivious Alice plopped down on the couch next to her. "All good on the work front?"

"Yeah," Alice replied, making herself comfortable by tucking her legs under her bum. "Carmen just needed some details on one of the projects I'd taken home with me."

"How is work, Alice?" Edward asked, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. Bella could tell he wasn't just attempting to change the topic, he genuinely wanted to know if his little sister was still enjoying her work.

"It's great." Alice smiled but Bella could tell there was something more coming… Something exciting. "Carmen and Kate actually wanted those details because they're drawing up my full-time contract."

"Seriously? Congratulations!" Edward replied, smiling happily for his sister.

"I knew it!" Bella grinned. "It was just a matter of time. They'd have been mad not to take you on full-time."

"Apparently they were just waiting for me to finish studying." Alice explained happily.

While Alice frequently joked about being "the best," Bella knew that, like everyone, Alice had some insecurities. There was no reason for Alice to doubt her skill and talent when it came to fashion but she had worked at The Denali Collection for Kate and Carmen since she'd started studying and, until now, there had never been any talk of permanency. Over the years, Bella had seen random little doubts creep in to Alice's mind but it looked like the introduction of this full-time contract would be the end of those worries. No one was better suited to a job at a designer boutique than Alice.

"Ah!" Alice squealed as she bounced on the spot. "I'm just so excited."

Edward and Bella both laughed.

"You deserve it, Alice." Bella said, still grinning at her friend.

"And soon we'll both be officially employed!" Alice continued excitedly.

"I don't know if an internship comes close to a full-time job in your dream career but it's a start." Bella laughed.

"You have an internship, Bella?" Edward asked, genuinely curious again.

"Yeah, I managed to score a paid internship at Washington State University Press." Bella explained.

"Fantastic. When does that start?" He asked.

"Not for a couple of weeks." Bella replied. "In the meantime, I'll be staying at the bookstore. I love that place."

"I'm sure you'll enjoy your internship though. It's what you've been studying for, after all." Alice commented.

"Oh, I don't doubt that. It's exactly what I want for my future." Bella replied. "I think I'm just going to miss the shop. The people, the place, the security, you know?"

"Don't we all know that feeling?" Edward commented knowingly, making the three of them chuckle.

"Speaking of work, Edward, what's your plan?" Alice asked. "Dad said he might be lining something up for you?"

"Yeah," Edward grinned, obviously excited by the thought.

 _Who gets so excited about work?_ Bella wondered. _The three of us (and Emmett) must be the luckiest people on Earth._

"Dad was going to talk to a colleague – Garrett – about a community outreach program he runs. Apparently they need qualified doctors for the weekends." Edward explained with an excited smile.

"Oh, that sounds perfect for you, Edward." Alice remarked.

"Yeah," Edward agreed, "I'm just waiting for confirmation on that but I'm hoping to pick up some bar work during the week."

"You don't want to work as a doctor full-time?" Bella queried.

"Honestly, no. Not yet, at least. When I was completing the practical portion of my study in England, I felt like I would walk into the room and everyone would wonder what I was doing there. That I was too young." Edward explained.

"What?! But you're great at what you do. You could out-doctor any doctor!" Alice remarked. "Except maybe Dad." She added.

They all laughed.

"I think what Alice is trying to say is that you shouldn't let other people's misgivings make you doubt yourself." Bella explained after catching her breath.

"Oh, no. Don't worry." Edward replied, still smiling, "I know I have the skills, the knowledge and some experience but I'm just not ready to jump in head-first yet. I spoke to Dad about it. In some ways, he wishes he had taken it slow to begin with and he actually encouraged me to take it down a notch when I was talking to him about applying for full-time work."

"That makes a lot of sense actually." Alice commented. "While you may be passionate about something, you still need to live your life. I can't imagine working the hours Dad used to work at our age."

"And imagine how good working for a community outreach program will look on your resume when you're applying for jobs in the future." Bella commented.

"Exactly and, in the meantime, what better way to gain life experience than by doing community work and working at a bar?" Edward joked. "Anyway, I should probably have a quick shower before Emmett gets here." Standing up, Edward walked towards the front door, next to which his bags were still sitting.

"Do you need a hand?" Bella asked, seeing the small mountain of bags he was about to tackle.

Glancing back at the girls on the couch, Edward saw Alice grinning at him while still sitting on her legs with no attempt to get up. On the other hand, Bella was already halfway to her feet.

 _Do I need a hand?_ Edward thought, repeating Bella's words to himself. _I can think of some things she could give me a hand with… Especially if she came into my room… Alone... Fuck, Edward! Get your head straight!_ He thought, giving himself a mental slap across the face.

"No, I'm fine." He replied, giving Bella a polite smile. "Thanks though." He added before escaping to his room and closing the door behind him. 

_What happened to being a gentleman, Edward? To being better than the guys she described earlier? Yes, she's attractive … absolutely fucking to-die-for attractive… even without makeup… especially without makeup… but she's also funny and smart. She's clumsy as hell but I've never seen a more beautiful sight than that dishevelled girl falling out of that goddamn bathroom…_

Hoping to distract himself from the rapidly growing bulge in his pants, Edward collected the things he would need for his shower and made his way into his ensuite. Climbing in, he tried to distract himself and his cock by thinking of mundane activities such as unpacking his luggage and being dragged around the city by his brother. However, thinking about being dragged around the city by Emmett simply made him think of his earlier conversation with Bella about stripteases…

Frustrated by his overactive imagination and growing increasingly frustrated with his body, Edward decided to clear his head by staring at the wall. _There's nothing suggestive about a wall, right?_ He thought. Unfortunately, however, as he turned his head, he spotted a towel hanging on a rail. A towel from exactly the same damn set as the one Bella had been wearing at their first meeting.

"Damn it!" He exclaimed, leaning his shoulder against the tiled wall and resting his head on the cool surface. Realising there were only two ways in which he could deal with his current situation and unwilling to give in to his body's baser instinct, Edward turned the hot water faucet down, dousing himself in cold water.

With cool water running down his front, Edward was finally able to think clearly. Hesitantly, making sure to keep his mind in check, he allowed his thoughts wander back to Bella. Of course, he understood why he was attracted to her but he was infuriated with himself for thinking of her in such a lustful way while in a relationship with Tanya. Tanya who, despite her insecurities, was an ideal woman in so many ways. Of course, she was smart, beautiful and – usually – kind but he also knew she had a cunning streak. One that had the potential to become explosive if she felt threatened. That was why he had worked so hard to make her feel secure, constantly insisting that she could trust him.

Now, despite all of the effort he had put into earning Tanya's trust, he had stumbled upon a woman who made him want to throw caution to the wind, breaking all the promises he had made to his girlfriend.

Edward sighed, resolving himself to act as a gentleman. He could talk and joke with Bella but nothing more. They could be friends but he was to never act on his lustful feelings for her. _It is just lust, after all._ He decided. _How could it be anything more? You only met her a few hours ago… And yet, you feel so comfortable with her already. So at ease and it's like you can talk to her about anything… Except your relationship. Fucking hell, Edward! If you don't stop torturing yourself, you'll be in for a world of trouble._

Climbing out of the shower and drying off, he tried not to think about the towel wrapped around his waist and the thoughts it provoked. Instead, summoning his earlier resolve, he splashed his face with some cold water at the sink, brushed his teeth and made his way back into his room to change into some fresh clothes.

 **AN:**

 **Sorry for the lack of Emmett! I honestly thought he was going to make an appearance in this chapter. He'll be in the next one, I promise!**

 **I hope everyone likes the way I write Edward… I find it hot when the guys are all lustful and stuff but I don't want him to come across as a dick… I want him to be cheeky and a little bit cocky but also sweet and respectful.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note:**

 **Finally… Emmett's here! I am SO sorry I haven't updated sooner. It's been an insane time of the year. Christmas and NYE of course… January is also SUPER busy with family holidays in my neck of the woods. Anyway, I hope everyone enjoys this chapter. I certainly had fun imagining it.**

 **To those who left reviews: Thank you so much! It's so encouraging to get feedback and comments… Especially feedback about the things I've expressed my uncertainty about. A little encouragement goes a long way! Also to those who gave constructive criticism: thank you. It may not be obvious but I'm doing my best to use the feedback to improve my writing.**

 **To everyone else: Thank you for reading/favouriting/following! Please consider leaving a review. If you're reading it consistently and enjoying it, I'd love to know what you do/don't like.**

 **Disclaimer: Of course, I don't own Twilight. I'm just playing with the characters a bit…**

 **Chapter 8:**

With Edward vanishing into his room after declining the offer for assistance with his bags, Bella flopped back onto the couch. Since Alice had returned to the room, things had been perfectly comfortable between Bella and Edward. They had both acted as though Alice hadn't interrupted anything. _Because she didn't interrupt anything_ , Bella scolded herself. _It was just an intense staring contest. Nothing more._ She thought, knowing perfectly well that she was lying to herself. _Evidently denial is the best coping mechanism at this stage…_

"Bella?" Alice asked and it clearly wasn't the first time she'd tried to get her attention.

"Sorry, Alice." Bella replied. "I don't know what's wrong with me today. My mind seems to be elsewhere."

"Well, maybe your mind is busy fantasising about my brother in the shower." Alice commented. Panicking, Bella replayed Alice's words in her mind. The words themselves were accusing but the tone was teasing and, as a cheeky grin spread across her friend's face, Bella knew she was busted.

"Alice, I would never fantasise about a taken man!" Bella exclaimed, feigning innocence but unable to hide the truth from her best friend.

"Oh please!" Alice teased. "I've left the two of you alone twice and each time I've come back to see you practically climbing onto one another's laps!"

 _OK_ , Bella thought, _apparently she caught on both times… But, come on, Alice..._

"We weren't _that_ close to one another." Bella defended.

"Are you kidding? I know what I saw. When I walked back into this room after sending that email, the two of you were leaning so far forward, I thought someone was going to fall off the couch… And yes, my money was on you being the one to fall down." Alice teased.

"Shit, Alice." Bella sighed, defeated. "Yes, I'm attracted to him, OK? How could I not be? He's gorgeous but am I really that obvious? He must think I'm a total freak."

"OK, first of all, this is weird for me. I'm not used to people talking about my brother like that…" Alice explained. "But maybe I'll have to get used to it…" She added before continuing in a serious tone. "Second, it's not as one-sided as you seem to think it is. He may argue that he's tired and he was caught by surprise on your first meeting but he was just as close to falling off that damn couch as you were." Alice gestured to the couch next to them before pausing to take in Bella's reaction to her words. "Now, what I want to know is whether this is just lust or is there something more there?"

Bella, still struggling to believe that a guy as attractive as Edward could have any interest in a girl like her, was stunned by Alice's question.

"Alice!" Bella exclaimed, her surprise making her voice louder than she intended. "Sorry," she said, lowering her voice. "But what do you expect me to say? I don't know! I only met the guy a few hours ago. Either way, it doesn't matter since he's taken."

"Unfortunately, you're right." Alice agreed, disappointed. "Even though I think there's probably more there than you're willing to admit, I can't blame you for your holding back. He's with Tanya, after all." Alice sighed before continuing. "You know, I want to like Tanya. I really do… but I haven't even met her and she's already frustrating me."

"So, the fact that I find your brother incredibly attractive doesn't bother you?" Bella asked, anxious to hear Alice's response.

"No, Bella. Of course not." Alice replied seriously. "I couldn't imagine a better match and imagine how perfect that would be for me. My best friend could officially become a part of my family."

Relieved that she hadn't upset her friend, Bella chose to ignore Alice's overambitious mention of their future. "What am I going to do?" She sighed as she rested her head in her hands, mostly thinking out loud but also hoping Alice had some advice.

"Well, as long as he's taken, the ball's in his court." Alice replied. "He either needs to learn to control himself around you before something more happens… or he needs to end things with Tanya."

"And I need to do what's right by avoiding and preventing those intense moments." Bella concluded.

"Yeah," Alice continued thoughtfully, "but I don't want you to vanish to your room either –"

"Alice, I –" Bella tried to argue, letting her arms flop onto her lap as she turned to look at her friend with surprise.

"Don't deny it. I know that's your 'worst case scenario' plan." Alice said sternly before continuing. "Promise me, you'll still be yourself. Don't let this change anything. There's no reason you shouldn't be able to talk, joke and be friends with Edward. Just avoid those 'intense moments,' as you so eloquently put it." Alice concluded, giving her friend a small, playful shove. Despite the small smile on Bella's lips, Alice could still see concern in her eyes. "Don't stress about it. Please." She said, placing a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder. _The more she stresses, the more she'll retreat into herself_ , Alice thought. She knew her friend well. "I know you. I know you won't do anything you'll regret. Just be yourself. Never change for anyone or anything. Promise me."

With Alice's words, Bella's smile was becoming less forced and more honest. She was quickly realising that she was overthinking the situation. _Alice is right_. Bella realised. _I know myself well enough to know that I won't do anything stupid. I shouldn't have to be anything other than myself. If Edward wants something, he can pursue it but I'm not doing anything as long as I know he's taken. The ball is in his court_.

"OK, Alice," Bella looked to her friend with a thankful smile, "I promise."

Confident that she'd convinced Bella not to worry, Alice's only response was to grin back at her friend and poke her in the side. Wriggling, trying to swat Alice's hand away and attempting get some revenge pokes of her own in, Bella was rescued by a timely knock on the front door. Springing up from their seats, both Alice and Bella rushed excitedly over to the door, laughing as they still tried to poke one another in order to declare a champion of the poking war.

"What's all this laughing about?" Emmett's booming voice came through the door.

Still trying to dodge pokes, Bella reached to the handle, managing to open the door just as Alice got in her in the side, making her flinch sideways, away from the tickling sensation. Quickly realising he'd walked into a war of sorts and identifying the dominant party, Emmett decided to help the underdog: Bella.

"Come here, you little…" He said, charging at Alice who, of course, had immediately recognised the danger and dodged out of his path. Emmett brought his hulking frame to a stop surprisingly quickly before turning around and going for his sister again.

Bella, while combating fits of hysterical laugher, watched as Alice and Emmett engaged in a faceoff. While Emmett's huge frame pursued Alice, occasionally grabbing at her, the tiny Alice had the advantage of speed as she ducked and weaved, avoiding Emmett's grasp. She lost her advantage, however, when Edward emerged from his room.

Bella, still standing near the front door, was also standing very close to Edward's bedroom door so, as he emerged, she was the first thing he saw. Puzzled but amused by the sight of Bella hunched over in laugher, a smiling Edward looked to the rest of the room for an explanation and it didn't take him long to realise exactly what was happening.

At the sound of Edward's bedroom door closing, both Alice and Emmett turned and, to Bella's extreme amusement, their reactions to Edward's arrival were polar opposites. At the sight of Edward, Alice's smug expression turned to panic. Emmett's face, however, lit up victoriously.

"No, no, no, no!" Alice said, backing away from Emmett slowly. "This isn't fair! Bella! Help me!"

Putting the poking war behind her and having finally caught her breath, Bella took a few steps forward to help Alice before Emmett's booming voice made her hesitate.

"Don't do it, Bella. This has been a long time coming. The little squirt has been taking advantage of the fact that Edward's been away."

Despite the warning, Bella darted past a smirking Edward who was now, for want of a better word, prowling around the back of the couch toward Alice. The formation Edward and Emmett had created around the couches meant that Alice – and now Bella – were soon to be trapped.

"You're a brave girl, Bella." Emmett commented menacingly, making Bella re-think her decision.

"Thanks, Bella." Alice said, grasping Bella's arm. "Now, what's the plan?" In that moment, Bella seriously considered just pushing her friend at Emmett who was now dangerously close. After coming to the rescue, she'd expected Alice to have a plan of escape. Instead of copping out though, she decided to play along.

"Um… Over the couch?" Bella whispered as they continued backing away from their pursuers.

"Come on, Bella." Alice scoffed. "That'll never work with these two… Not to mention your clumsiness."

"Well, I don't see you coming up with a plan." Bella retorted as their backs hit the wall.

 _Yep_ , Bella thought. _We're definitely trapped. Why did I bother coming to help her?_

"Oh, I do have a plan though." Alice replied. Surprised, Bella looked at her friend, noticing a sneaky grin spread across her face as her eyes darted from Bella to Edward, her main threat. _Oh no. You competitive little shit_ , Bella thought, _don't you dare_ …

Suddenly, before it could be stopped, Alice pushed Bella at Edward, who was now lunging at them.

"Yes!" Alice cheered, bolting in the opposite direction. "Suck it, you lot – ah!" She squealed as Emmett finally caught her and threw her on the couch, attacking her with unrelenting tickles.

The expression on Edward's face was one of shock as Bella fell into his arms and they both tumbled to the floor. Thankfully – or unfortunately – Edward fell first, breaking Bella's fall. That meant, however, that the ever-clumsy Bella was in a rather compromising position on top of him. As she scrambled to find her feet in order to remove herself from the awkwardness of the situation, Edward wrapped his hand around hers. It was a simple gesture, meant simply to offer support as she stood up… but it was something more. It was sweet.

For the briefest of moments, Bella allowed her eyes to meet his and she saw what she thought was an emotion akin to regret. While the lust and desire were still there, he was fighting them, restraining himself.

 _Good_. Bella thought and, despite knowing it was the right thing, she couldn't help feeling the disappointment creeping in. _That'll make things easier._ She could see similar thoughts swimming in the depths of Edward's eyes, along with regret. In that moment, as Bella and Edward stared into one another's eyes, it was as though they could read the other's mind. They both knew the right thing was to ignore these moments. To pretend nothing happened and so, they would.

Taking a deep breath, Bella used Edward's hand for support as she climbed to her feet and, although she knew he probably didn't need it, she offered him her hand to help pull him up from the floor. Perhaps he didn't need the help but neither of them wanted that moment to end. They didn't want to pretend there was nothing between them… So, with his eyes meeting hers, he accepted her hand and stood up beside her.

Once they were both on their feet, they came back to reality as they heard Alice's squealed pleas for Emmett to stop tickling her. Although the exchange between them had only lasted a few moments, Bella and Edward had come to a silent agreement…. Friends.

Exchanging a conspiratorial grin and solidifying their new comradeship, Bella and Edward moved forward to rescue Alice from her big brother.

 **AN:**

 **As always, thanks for reading. I struggled a bit at the end of this chapter… I prefer light-hearted fanfics so I don't want this to get too heavy. I think it might be a LITTLE heavy as long as they're denying their feelings for each other but I hope it'll be worth it in the end.**

 **Again, I'm SO sorry I've taken so long to update. I was hoping the holidays wouldn't take too much of a toll on my writing. Alas, they did. I'm working on writing ahead a bit more though so I'll be trying to update more often. Thanks again!**


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